


Evans vs. The Enemy

by EverSparrow



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marauders, Minor James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 08:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30019284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverSparrow/pseuds/EverSparrow
Summary: "If we're not going to be friends, Lily Evans, then I guess we'll be enemies!" / In which Lily and James find themselves at odds, and Lily has to decide whether or not she's willing to forgive him.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Kudos: 2





	Evans vs. The Enemy

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Written for QLFC Round 1 as Keeper for the Kestrels.
> 
> PROMPT: Keeper: Your character decides whether or not to forgive someone
> 
> WC: 2878

There are a few unspoken rules that every Hogwarts student comes to learn over their seven years at the school. First of all, don't be late to History of Magic if you value your life. Secondly, if you're going to sneak out at night, you'd better avoid the portraits in the East Wing.

And the last and most important rule? Never, for any reason, give the Marauders a reason to dislike you.

As long as you abide by these rules, you should be able to make it through your time at Hogwarts (relatively) unscathed. Unfortunately, not every student understands the importance of following this unvoiced code.

"Oy! Evans!"

It's a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, and Lily is chatting animatedly to Marlene when James Potter decides to break the tranquil silence of the courtyard. She wrinkles her nose immediately, her expression souring the second she hears the voice.

"Oh God. I can't do this today." Lily frowns, narrowing her eyes at the sight of the four Marauders sauntering across the courtyard towards them.

"I'll smack him for you, if you'd like." Marlene glances down at her nails, checking her Gryffindor-red polish for any chips. "I'd be extremely happy to do so."

"I might just have to take you up on that," Lily says with a sigh as the boys come to a halt in front of her and Marlene, James in front like he's the lead singer of their little boyband. "We're not interested, Potter. Go sell your charm somewhere else."

"You wound me, Evans!" James towers above where Lily sits on the bench, and she finds the height difference more than a little uncomfortable. "I've got something to ask you."

"Go away." Lily folds her arms. "I mean it, Potter. I've told you many times that I'm not interested in-"

"Hogsmeade. You. Me. Friday." James waggles his eyebrows behind his glasses. "Sorry, McKinnon. You can come too, if you'd like," he adds to Marlene, who snorts in disgust.

"No." Lily stands to her full height so she's face-to-face with James, which makes the other Marauders "ooh" suggestively. "I'm sick of this. I'm busy this Friday, next Friday, and every Friday after that."

"Why? Got plans with that greasy little snake?" James's smile disappears, and Lily darkens immediately at the insult to Severus. Even if she hasn't spoken to Sev since he called her a- well, since the _incident_ , she certainly isn't about to let James talk badly about him. He was once her dearest friend, after all.

"Shut _up_ ," she hisses, and from behind him, she can see Remus elbow James subtlety, as if he's trying to reign him in. "You've got no right to speak about Sev like that."

"Lily, do you remember what he called you?" James's face is flushed, and to Lily's horror, many of the other students in the courtyard have turned to stare at them. "I don't see why you keep defending him."

"You're one to talk. I'm sure you've said far worse things to far more people."

"I would never say something like that." James looks like he's about to punch something. Is he really that angry on her behalf? Somehow, it makes Lily even more upset. "Especially not to you."

"Just go _away_!" Lily glares at James, her anger thrumming through her blood, and she's not entirely sure what it is that's making her so mad. "I'll never go out with you, you arrogant son of a-"

"Fine! Fine, Lily, fine!" James whirls around, his face on fire, and Lily feels a small stab of pride for making him so embarrassed. "You know what? I'm sick of this too. I'm sick of trying to make things right with you."

"Then stop!"

"I will!" James turns to his friends, who are looking at him with such pitying gazes that it _almost_ makes Lily feel bad. Almost. "If we're not going to be friends, Lily Evans, then I guess we'll be enemies!"

"That's more than fine with me." Lily grabs Marlene by the wrist and pulls her up to standing. " _More_ than fine!"

"Great, then!" James shouts, stalking off across the courtyard. "You'd better watch out, Evans!"

"Wonderful!" Lily stalks into the hallway, dragging Marlene along behind her. "Looking forward to it!"

She stomps down the corridor in silence, pushing through the throng of students like she's parting the bloody red sea.

"Lil, what _was_ that?" Marlene has to jog slightly to keep up with her, her brow furrowed with concern. "I know he's awful, but I think you've just entered us into an all-out war against the Marauders. You know I love you, but that's a battle even we can't win."

"Have a little faith," Lily says through gritted teeth, linking her arm through her friend's.

"You've seen what they're capable of! Wreaking havoc is their specialty!" Marlene shakes her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you. Now I'm guilty by association."

"I've had it with him, Marlene. If he wants to retaliate, he can go ahead. Insulting my friends is something I can't forgive."

"But Lily, can't we just-"

Lily ignores her friend, storming down the corridor. What is it about James Potter that makes her so bloody _furious_?

* * *

When Lily sits down to breakfast the next morning, she inspects her food three times over.

"I highly doubt that muffin is hiding anything," Marlene says dryly, and Lily slices the pastry in two, eyeing the dough suspiciously. "If you're going to keep being this paranoid, I'm eating with Dorcas."

"We have to be _vigilant_ , Marlene. Who knows what they've put in this food." Lily continues to chop up the muffin, cutting it into little bite-size pieces.

"I highly doubt they got their hands on your _food_ -"

"Well, hello there, Evans."

Lily looks up sharply to see James standing on the opposite side of the table, grinning widely.

"What've you got there?" He leans in closer to see her muffin, and she shields it from his view with an arm. "Mm. Blueberry's my favorite, you know."

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily glares at him. "Enemies don't normally chat over breakfast."

"Of course, of course. Sorry to bother you." James acts like he's about to walk away, but at the last second, he leans in closer so he's inches from Lily's face. "I hope you _enjoy_ your meal, Evans." With a wink at Lily's shocked expression, James turns on his heel and saunters off. Lily's gaze follows him all the way to the end of the table, where he sits down next to the other Marauders, all four of them throwing laughing grins her way.

"Merlin's beard. He's poisoned it." Lily drops the muffin immediately, staring down at it in horror. "I'm going to die, Marlene," she says breathlessly, brushing her fingertips on her robes in an attempt to remove any muffin particles from her skin.

"Come on, Lily. That's extreme, even for Potter," Marlene says, but she looks somewhat doubtful. "Still, I guess there's no harm in being cautious. Here, have some of mine." Marlene holds out a piece of bacon but Lily pushes it away, trying to ignore the hunger that's beginning to gnaw at the bottom of her stomach.

"Neither of us is safe, Marlene. I'm sure you're on their list too." Lily pushes her plate across the table, staring forlornly at the abandoned muffin. "Merlin, I hate that James Potter."

* * *

Lily's counter-attack happens during Potions.

She's starving, and since Marlene is off faking an upset stomach to go raid the kitchens, she's left alone for the class. They've been assigned a particularly difficult draught to brew, and even Lily, who's always had a knack for Potions, is having trouble with the potion. To her delight, however, so are James and Sirius, who are bickering like an old married couple as they glare at the muddy liquid in their cauldron.

"You were supposed to stir _clockwise_ , Padfoot," James says, shaking his head. "I told you that, remember?"

"It says counter-clockwise in the book, numbskull," Sirius fires back, shoving the open textbook into James's face. "Or did you forget how to read?"

"Well, obviously that textbook is full of lies, because we've done everything right and our potion _still_ looks like that time you tried to make coffee without magic." James stabs the liquid with a quill, jumping back when the potion sputters lifelessly. "I think we should just do the opposite of everything it says."

The opportunity couldn't have been clearer if it had been served to her on a silver platter. Lily seizes it immediately, and she sidles over to their table with her best attempt at a helpful smile.

"Having trouble, boys?" she asks innocently, and they look up, staring at her as if she's a creature from outer space.

"No. Obviously, we are doing just fine." James gives her a sarcastic grin and gestures to the mess of a potion. "Thanks for your concern."

"I'd offer to help, but you did poison my breakfast," she says placidly, and James snorts.

"Should I tell her, Padfoot?" he asks Sirius, who smirks, folding his arms against his chest.

"Tell me what?" Lily asks, frowning, and James snickers again.

"We didn't do anything to your breakfast, Evans. I only told you that so you wouldn't eat it." James laughs harder, as if this is the funniest thing he's ever done in his life, and both Lily's glare and her resolve deepen. She should've _known_ they weren't clever enough to actually do anything to the food. Merlin, she needs to stop with the paranoia.

"Wow. Good one," she says, and James's grin fades into a puzzled expression. "Well, you got me. I guess it's only fair I give you a hint. If Slughorn sees whatever _that_ is, you're getting a T for sure."

"Are you serious?" James looks at her with such blatant happiness that it makes her feel slightly guilty for deceiving him. "Wow. Uh, thanks, Evans."

"Add twice the amount of Horseradish," Lily says in a low whisper, loving how much she sounds like some kind of evil villain.

"Are you sure?" Sirius looks at her suspiciously, not as blinded by love as his hopeless friend is. "What makes you think we'll trust you? You're James's enemy, remember?"

"Looks like it's a little too late for that," Lily says pointedly, and Sirius turns just in time to watch James pour the horseradish into the cauldron. As soon as the ingredients hit the liquid, Lily sprints towards the other side of the classroom. By the time James and Sirius finally realize what's happening, it's too late, and there's a deafening _bang_ , the room exploding in white light.

"What the-"

"Oh my-"

"Potter, what _hell_ did you do this time?"

Lily shields her eyes from the now smoke-filled air as her classmates' enraged shouts echo through the fog, coughs erupting in all directions. There's a few more yells, and suddenly Slughorn's booming baritone calls out a charm, sending the smoke scattering in all directions.

When it finally clears, James and Sirius are the only ones who remain at their table, covered in their muddy gray potion.

"What is the meaning of this?" Slughorn, normally so jovial and upbeat, stares at James and Sirius as if he's on the verge of tears, not so much angry as he is disappointed.

Lily, who just seconds ago was on top of the world for finally, _finally_ outsmarting James and Sirius, also feels like crying, and she has absolutely no idea why.

She _hates_ James. She doesn't feel bad for him, not even a little bit.

So why does it feel so awful meeting his sad gaze, hating how pathetic he looks covered in that potion as he stares at her like she's somehow let him down?

"It… was my fault, Professor. I added too much horseradish," James says, his eyes still on Lily. Sirius starts to speak up indignantly, but James gives him a look and he shuts up reluctantly.

"Mr. Potter… I'm disappointed, but not entirely surprised. Stay after class for Detention." Slughorn sighs and rolls up his sleeves, cleaning the potion off of the boys with a flick of his wand. "Mr. Black, you're excused to go to the Hospital Wing. You've got potion in your eye." He turns to the rest of the students, waving at them half-heartedly. "Class dismissed."

Sirius puts a hand to his eye and gives James a shake of his head before sprinting out of the classroom, giving Lily a bitter look as he passes her. She should leave. She should get out of here, before James changes his mind about taking the fall for her. Why _did_ he take the fall for her?

"Miss Evans? Is there something you need?" Slughorn asks, and Lily realizes she's the only one besides James still left in the room.

"I- I told him to do it, Professor." Lily can't even meet his gaze, so she stares at her shoes instead. What is she _doing_? "It was a joke that went horribly wrong."

"Is this true?" Slughorn turns to James, who hesitates before nodding slowly. "My, Miss Evans… That is- disappointing, to say the least. You are one of my best students." Slughorn shakes his head at her, his frown looking so out of place on his always-smiling mouth. "I suppose you'll be joining Mr. Potter for Detention, then. I'll be back shortly with cauldrons for the two of you to clean." He gives Lily another one of those awful, sad looks before shuffling out of the room, sighing heavily all the while.

What has she done? Lily moves slowly to the table where James sits and puts her head in her hands, pressing her fingertips against her eyelids in a weak attempt to block out this _nightmare_ she's found herself in. Detention, of all things, with the boy she hates? The boy who probably now hates her, too? It's beyond awful.

"Why'd you do that?" James asks finally, and Lily doesn't lift her head.

"I don't know." Her words are muffled through her fingers. "It was stupid, okay? I'm sorry."

"No, not _that_ ," James says, and this time she does look up at him. "Why'd you tell Slughorn it was you? I could've taken the hit, you know. It's not like my grade can go much lower, anyway. You're a good student, at least you've got something to lose."

Lily doesn't know what to say. What _can_ she say to that? Why is it that every time she decides to hate James Potter for all eternity he does something that makes her question it all?

"I take it back, you know." James looks down at the table, breaking their eye contact. "The things I've said about Snape. The things I've _done_ to him. For making you so angry. For making you skip breakfast. I shouldn't have... Merlin, I'm sorry, Lily, for all of it. You're right to hate me, you _should_ hate me, but I… I just don't want to be your enemy."

James Potter? Apologizing? This really is some kind of nightmarish dream.

Lily just stares at him, analyzing his words, and something inside her shifts ever so slightly. She's hated this boy all her life, and she certainly doesn't need to forgive him. She has no obligation to him at all. Still, at the same time, she finds she almost _wants_ to forgive him. If not friends, at least maybe they don't have to be enemies anymore. It might be nice, she decides, not being his enemy. Not hating him all the time.

He's different now, that she's certain of. Sure, he's still callous and big-headed and downright insufferable, but he's not as _mean_ anymore, not as selfishly cruel.

"I- You know what? I forgive you, James." Lily almost smiles as James's head snaps up, his eyes wide with surprise. "You're right. You've been terrible, but... I don't hate you."

"Really?" James brightens, reminding her ever so slightly of a golden retriever, and she purses her lips to keep from smiling.

"This doesn't mean we're friends, Potter. After this morning, I don't know if I can ever trust a word you say again." The words are harsh, but Lily says them jestingly.

"Well, the same goes for you." A corner of James's mouth quirks up in a smile. "Who knew you had it in you, Evans? You deceived the master of deception."

"Oh come on, even Sirius was suspicious of me. You're telling me you had no idea I had malicious intent?" Lily shakes her head at James in mock disappointment.

"What reason would I have to doubt you, Miss Evans? Your skill in potions is renowned throughout the school." James winks at her and she laughs in spite of herself.

"Thanks for covering for me. It was surprisingly thoughtful."

"Well, thanks for joining me in Detention. I'd hate to have to scrub cauldrons alone." James smiles at her, and Lily returns the gesture, the grin feeling strange and slightly out of place, but not entirely unwelcome.

They're not friends, not yet, but maybe, just maybe, they might be, someday. Either way, Lily can't help but admit that it feels nice, talking with him like this. Maybe she should try crossing the Marauders more often.


End file.
